


"-Dad?"

by Mattory_Reylo_shipper



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Accountant Castiel (Supernatural), Adoptive Parents Castiel and Dean Winchester, Alternate Canon, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst with a Happy Ending, Anxiety Attacks, Artist Dean Winchester, Case Fic, Coping, Dean Winchester Gets Therapy, Dean Winchester Has PTSD, Dean Winchester Has Panic Attacks, Established Castiel/Dean Winchester, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Light Angst, M/M, Married Castiel/Dean Winchester, Mechanic Dean Winchester, Painter Dean Winchester, Panic Attacks, Past Character Death, Post-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-16
Updated: 2020-08-16
Packaged: 2021-03-05 22:55:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,536
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25943188
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mattory_Reylo_shipper/pseuds/Mattory_Reylo_shipper
Summary: Dean and Cas go to Kansas City, KS on business, and find someone from their past.
Relationships: Castiel/Dean Winchester
Comments: 3
Kudos: 65





	"-Dad?"

"-Dad?"

Dean whipped around at the familiar voice. The calm tone of it ringing in his ears. He never thought he would hear that voice again. Not after what Chuck did.

"Jack?" He asked in a whisper, voice trembling.

"Yeah." Jack replied simply.

Dean grabbed his phone out of his pocket.

"Cas?" A beat. "Yeah, I'm ok... Baby, I need you to come here… There's someone here... Just come, ok? I'm sending a GPS tag." 

_ Baby. Dean had never used that word for Cas before, only for his car.  _ He looked Dean over, now noticing the small bits of gray in his hair, and the new wrinkles on his skin.

"Jack." Dean smiled, stepping closer. "Hey kid. How are you here?"

"This woman named Billie. She's the new God. She helped me come back!"

"That's great. That's really great, Jack." Dean said, hugging him with tears in his eyes.

"Dean, this better be good-" Cas said, coming from around the corner of the alley they were in, and then stopping in his tracks after seeing Dean and Jack. Mouth dropping open.

"Father." Jack smiled, turning around.

"Jack?" He said hollowly.

"Hello, Father."

"You're- Dean what did you do." He asked stiffly, his expression hardening.

"Why do you always think I did something?"

"Dean." He pleaded.

"Really, Cas. I promised Sam." He said, seriously.

There was something in the way he said Sam's name, something Jack couldn't place.

"I know. I'm sorry." Cas looked sad, but his expression changed to something unreadable as he turned back to Jack. "How are you here."

"He says  _ Billie _ brought him back." Dean said, and Jack nodded, observing his dads.

"Why?"

"Maybe for us? We were just talking about kids."

"I know." Cas said.

"Wow."

_ "I know." _

"After Amara helped us with Chuck and left, and Billie took over, and Sam… I didn't think that anything else would happen."

"Are you sure it's him?"

"I mean look at him. Cas, I think it is."

Dean walked closer to Cas, and wrapped his arms around the angel, and Jack caught a flash of something on Dean's hand.

_ There's no way.  _ Jack smiled, as he saw what it was, and put the pieces together.

"You're married."

"Uh." Dean shifted uncomfortably. "Yeah. Me and Cas are, uh, married. You've been gone for a long time. Three years, actually."

Jack's face fell.

"Three years." He repeated.

"Jack, it's ok." Cas stepped closer to his son, pulling the kid into a hug. "It's not your fault. It's no one's fault. We promised Sam a while ago that we would stop trying to bring each other back, and stop blaming each other for things we can't control."

"Where is Sam, I want to give him a hug!" Jack smiled.

Dean's face fell, and he looked to Cas, his husband, for support.

"Let's get you home."

"Ok!"

  
  


  * ••



  
  


Cas sang along to Stairway to Heaven as Dean drove, smiling and looking at him every few seconds like he hung the moon.

"I like that you two are married. You're happier now than you were."

"Yeah. Yeah we are." Dean smiled. "Took me way too long to realize that I love him, but that doesn't matter now, all that matters is that we figured it out."

Cas picked up Dean's hand and kissed it.

  
  


  * ••



  
  


It took Jack a while to figure out that they weren't driving to the bunker.

"Where are we going?"

"A few months ago we bought a house outside Wichita." Dean replied, trying to sound casual.

"Oh, ok. What kind of house is it?"

"It's small, we can't afford much, but it's nice." Cas smiled back at him. "It's… home."

"Good."

"Cas started doing taxes for the neighborhood. And I… I got a job as a mechanic at a garage."

Cas nodded, looking proud of his husband.

"You aren't hunting?"

"Not really, but we are taking calls for other hunters. Jody, Bobby, Claire, and everyone." Cas explained.

"Jack, about Sam-" Dean started, but Jack interrupted.

"It's ok, you don't have to tell me what happened."

"No, you're my son, and Sam was your uncle, you deserve to know."

"Dean, I can tell him if you want me to." Cas told him sadly, tears gathering in his eyes. "I can tell him when we get home. In private. You don't have to do this to yourself. It doesn't have to be your responsibility. It's not your fault."

"It is though, Cas, I was supposed to-" Dean cut himself off with a sob. "To keep Sammy safe. I wa- was supposed to die bef- beefo- die before he did. Failed h- h- h- failed him, failed mom and da- d- daa- and dad." He finished, teeth chattering as he cried.

He pulled off of the highway onto an exit ramp, breathing heavily. A few seconds later, he pulled into a gas station and parked the car.

Cas pulled the man to him, rubbing his cheek and wiping the tears away.

"Shhh… Dean, you're safe, you're ok… He decided to do it, and there wasn't anything we could have done. He made up his mind. Hey, look at me."

Dean followed the angel's order, blinking and silently letting more tears fall. He looked so small, with Cas holding him like that.

Cas took Dean's hand, kissed it, and pressed it to his chest.

"I'm here, you're here, it's alright. Take a deep breath and tell me something you see?"

Dean nodded, and did as he said.

"Your eyes. love your eyes, always have." He said after a second.

"Ok, good. Touch?" Cas asked.

"Baby's leather, your coat, my ring, your hand."

"Hear?"

Dean took another breath, listening to the world around him.

"Breathing. Yours, mine, and Jack's. A siren. The wind."

"Taste? What's something you taste?"

"My tears." He said quietly.

"It's ok, you're allowed to cry, darling and to feel things. Last one, you ready?"

Dean nodded, collecting himself.

"Ok, what's something you smell?"

"I smell gas, and I can smell you. You smell a little like dirt, and the air right before a rainstorm." He smiled, and Cas smiled back.

"Better?"

"Mmhm, thanks babe. D'you think you could drive for a while, 'm tired."

"Of course I can. Jack, are you hungry? We could stop at Biggerson's while we're here."

"Yes, I would like that." He replied, not saying anything about what just happened between his fathers.

"Dean, would you like anything?"

"Nah, 'm ok, thanks Cas. Take such good care 'f me, babe. Best husband ever. Love you, man." He said as the two of them switched places.

"I love you too, Dean." Cas smiled fondly, as his husband snuggled down into the seat.

"Welcome to Biggerson's, the home of the Turduckin sandwich, how can I help you today?" The drive thru server said through the speakers, as Cas pulled up to the building.

  
  


  * ••



  
  


"Jack, are you awake?" Cas asked after they were back on the road.

"Yeah, I'm awake."

"Good. Dean is asleep." Cas said, Glancing over to him to confirm that he was right. "Jack, a lot's happened since you- since you left. I'm sure you figured out that Sam died, but I wanted to tell you what happened, and Dean isn't able to talk about it. We started therapy a few months ago, because of how bad Dean's panic attacks were getting, and we're to the point where I can help him through it and ground him, but we still have a long way to go, which is why I waited until he was sleeping."

Jack tilted his head, but then nodded.

"I'll start from the beginning. Chuck- God, ended the world after you left, and he brought a lot of our old enemies back to life, so Dean, Sam, and I barricaded ourselves and your body in a crypt, until a demon possessed your body. He helped us get out, and helped us for a while, but we misjudged him."

He gripped the steering wheel tighter as he remembered Belphagor. 

"I couldn't stand him being inside of you. I was so angry, Jack, and so was Dean, and he was dealing with Mary too, and the world was falling apart. Then there was Sam. Sam kept fighting, he kept… looking for new ways to fix everything, and eventually, he found it."

Cas brushed a tear away from his face.

"He had to make a trap strong enough to work on God. He, with the help of me, Dean, and Amara, your great aunt, found sigils that were powerful enough to work on Chuck, and he put them on the Ma'lak box. It worked, but we needed to get Chuck into it first."

He took a steadying breath, and continued with the story.

"I volunteered, since Chuck was my father, but right before I was supposed to leave, I told Dean that I love him. Sam overheard and after Dean yelled at me and stormed off, he went after him. When Dean came back, he was crying, and he kissed and hugged me, and told me he loves me too, but he wouldn't tell me where Sam was." 

Both of them shifted uncomfortably.

"I didn't figure it out until a week later, but Sam had gone in my place, and brought Chuck to the warehouse where the box was stored. Chuck turned him to ash, but not before Sam could push him into the box, and Amara could close the lid and take it to the bottom of the ocean."

Jack's eyes felt sore, and he realized he'd been crying.

"When she came back, she tried to fix Sam, to bring him back, but she couldn't. We were going to try everything we could to get the two of you back, but when we got back to the bunker, there was a note from Sam. He told us not to bring either of you back, that we should try and live a normal, happy, apple pie life, so we got married, gave the bunker keys to Jody and the girls, and moved here. Billie gave us all the documents we needed to get a house and jobs, and to… Adopt. We were in Kansas City to try and adopt a child, but Dean saw you and ran after you. I lost him until he called me."

"Oh." Jack said quietly, trying to take in all that had happened while he was dead.

"Jack, I'm so sorry. I know you were close to him. Are you ok?"

Jack nodded, a tear slipping off his chin. 

"Yeah, I think." He said, taking a breath. "I just… I'm sorry. I think I could have killed Chuck. I think that's why he wanted me gone. And if I had been here, Sam would still be alive."

"No. It's not your fault, just like it isn't Dean's, or mine, or anyone's. Sam made a choice to sacrifice himself. He made that choice so we could be happy. He wouldn't want us to blame ourselves, or each other. We need to live good lives, defy the universe and be happy, beat the script. For Sam."

"Ok, for Sam." Jack repeated, meaning every word.

Cas smiled, proud of his son for understanding.

  
  


  * ••



  
  


"Dean, Jack, we're home." Cas woke them both, voice gentle.

Dean blinked the sleep out of his eyes and yawned, then he pulled Cas in for a kiss.

"Home." Jack smiled sleepily as he tested the word out, looking up at the small, cream colored house. "It's... nice."

There were flowers lining the side of the house, and a bee box near the back, and it was beautiful.

"Come're kid, got something to show you." Dean smiled, getting out, walking up to the door, and slipping inside. Cas and Jack both followed him in, Cas with a secretive smile on his lips.

Jack scanned the room, wanting to take in all he could. He loved everything about it, from the plants scattered around, to the overstuffed yellow couch, and the big picture window, and the paintings and pictures on the wall… It was everything he'd ever wanted for a home. He went over to look at one of the paintings, a portrait of Cas washing dishes with sunlight streaming through the window in front of him.

"Dean painted that." Cas said, with awe and pride coloring his voice.

"It's awesome!" Jack said, spinning around on his heel to take the room in again. "This is all awesome!"

"Glad you like it!" Dean said, coming back into the room holding a small dog. "Jack, this is Bee, our dog."

"Bee?"

Dean set the dog down and straightened back up, stretching his back out, and Jack sat down to pet her.

"I told you we shoulda named her something else, Cas. But no! Had to name her Bee of all things."

"Dean, I like the name Bee!" Cas pouted.

"I know, I know, just being argumentative. Love you." Dean grinned and pulled Cas to him, kissing his angel.

"I love you too, dearest." Cas replied, beaming back at Dean.

"Jack, come're." Dean said, pulling away from his husband and holding his arm out to him, Cas repeating his actions, still smiling.

Jack nodded and stood up, walking to his dads, who pulled him into the hug.

  
  


  * ••



  
  


Later that night, when Jack had gone to bed in the guest room, and Dean and Cas were getting ready and talking about the day.

"All I'm saying is it's strange, Cas, I'm not ungrateful. It's just weird."

"It is, but I don't think I care. How much time have we spent arguing about getting the papers we need to adopt? How hard have we been trying? Is it that hard to believe that Billie would help us? Especially after all the times we've saved the world from ending?"

"I guess not. I just think it's a little…" Dean trailed off.

"What? Suspicious?"

"Yeah? Do you disagree?"

"No, but I don't want it to go away, I don't want him to go away." Cas said, almost pleading with him.

Dean walked out of their bathroom and took Cas' hands, kneeling down.

"I know, I don't want him to go away either. You know how much I love him, Cas, and how much I want this for us." 

"I do know that." Cas smiled.

"Ok then, I just want to make sure that it's not going to disappear on us."

Cas sighed and stood up, pulling Dean with him and kissing him.

"I thought we left hunting behind us." Cas whispered.

"I promised I'd try." Dean said, his face falling.

"You did, and you did try. That was all that I asked of you."

  
  


  * ••



  
  


"Yes, Dean. I would love to."

"Really? I was so nervous! Cas, thank you." Dean babbled, grinning like an idiot.

"Of course. But there's one condition." Cas said nervously.

The grin fell off Dean's face.

"Oh. Ok, what is it?"

"You have to try to give up hunting. If I'm growing old with you, I want to grow old with you, so I'll give up being an angel if you don't hunt."

"Cas-"

"Dean, I refuse to marry you if you're just going to get yourself killed on a hunt."

"Ok."

"Ok?"

"Yeah, Cas, I want to be your husband, and if this is what it takes? It's going to be hard, but it's not like hunting is the only thing in my life anymore." Dean smiled.

"Thank you." Cas smiled too, kissing Dean.

They stayed like that for a while until Dean broke away.

"So how will this work? Should we move? Should we try and get jobs?"

"Let's do some research." Cas said, eyes glassy from thinking about Sam once again.

  
  


  * ••



  
  


"Cas, I don't want to go back, I just want to check this out." Dean said, holding Cas in his arms.

"I know."

"I won't go unless I get an ok from you. I'm not going to go behind your back."

"I know that too. Just let me think about it."

"Ok. I can do that."

"Thank you." Cas said, kissing him.

Dean pulled him to the bed.

"We should sleep. It's been a long day, love." He said through their lips.

Cas sighed into the kiss and then broke it, murmuring his agreement.

"I love you."

"I love  _ you _ ."

  
  


  * ••



  
  


"You're looking for information on your son." The demon, Tom, sneered.

He had a longer name, but Dean didn't care or have the time to worry about it.

"And you're gonna give it to me. Whether you want to or not." Dean smirked.

"I'll definitely give something to you, just not the information." Tom licked his lips.

Dean rolled his eyes.

"Dude, hard pass. I've got the hottest husband waiting for me at home. Which reminds me, I don't have the time to chat and braid each other's hair, so either you give me what I want, or I get to have a little fun of the non sexy kind and I still get it."

For the first time, the demon looked nervous.

"Fine, fine, you know Billie? Used to be a reaper, but got promoted to God?"

"Yeah, I know her." Dean shifted, getting antsy.

"Everyone's saying she wanted the famous Winchester clan to have a break after the old god ended the world, so she gave you some toys and put the Nephilim kid back together. There. Is that what you wanted to hear? I have business to attend to elsewhere. Deals to make, names to take."

Dean sighed.

"Fine, but the second I catch wind of you hurting someone, I will come for you."

"Whatever, man. Tell Castiel I said hi."

"Leave." Dean growled, protectively.

"Oh, I struck a nerve, didn't I? Don't like people knowing about the old ball and chain, do you?" He smirks.

And with that, Tom the demon was gone.

Dean pulled out his phone, dialing Cas' number.

"Hey Babe."

"Dean." Cas sighed with relief. "How are you doing?"

"I got some info. Cas, this might be exactly what it looks like. This might just be for us."

"And if it is? Can we let this go on just that? Can you? On a maybe?"

"I…" Dean closed his eyes and rubbed his hand over his face. "I don't know, Cas."

"Ok. Ok, I didn't expect you to say anything else. Thank you for your honesty. I'm not mad about it either, Dean, I want you to know that. So what do we do now? How do we- not fix, that's not the right word. How do we work with this?"

"I'm coming home." Dean said, deciding it as he said it.

He can hear Cas' smile over the phone.

"And then?"

"And then I don't know. But I know I want to be home with you and Jack until I do."

"Thank you, Dean." Cas said quietly.

"I love you." Dean smiled.

"I love you too."

"I'll be home in a while."

"See you soon, Goodbye love."

"Bye Babe." He said, hanging up.

"You just can't leave anything alone, can you."

Dean whips around at the voice.

"Billie."

"Dean. Go back home and be with your husband. Your son. Live a good life, a safe life. And when it's done, you'll have a peaceful place for you in your heaven with your family. Do not start hunting again, this isn't a 'maybe', as Castiel said. It's time to rest."

"But-"

"No. Your job is done. No more."

And she's gone as quick as she appeared.

Dean sighed and walked to his car, starting the long drive back home.

  
  


  * ••



  
  


"What do you mean? All of us?" Cas asked, rubbing his forehead.

"Yeah, I think. And together too, not like other heavens, where it's just memories of people. It's us actually together. You, me, the kid, Sam. Maybe even my parents, Bobby, Ellen, and Jo, Charlie, Kevin, Eileen, and Jess. And maybe more later."

"And no more hunting? At all?"

"Yeah, Cas, no hunting." Dean smiled, looking ten years younger.

"And Jack…?"

"Is ours… what do you think about home schooling?"

"We have no records of him-"

"Showed up this morning. They say it was a closed adoption, that he's 16, he has a social security number. We can say he learned the basics from his birth parents, but needs to learn the more advanced stuff. He's already smart, we could send him to college in a few years."

"Dean, this is wonderful!" Cas hugs him, holding him tightly.

"I know it is. This is everything I've ever wanted, Cas. A normal house, a gorgeous husband, a kid, this is perfect."

"It is perfect. Thank you, Dean." Cas smiled, tears running down both of their faces.

"Dad? Father? Am I interrupting you?"

"'Course not, Jack, what do you need?" Dean answered, wiping his eyes.

"Can I learn how to drive again?"

"Yeah, sure! I'll go get the car and we can start now." He replied, "Cas? You up for a drive?"

"Actually, I believe I'll get started on dinner. You two go have fun. But be safe." He warned. "Dean, if either of you get hurt, I'll have your head."

"Don't I know it. I love you, Cas."

"I love you also, Dean."


End file.
